Fluid sampling valve

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to a valve particularly suitable for sampling internal combustion engine lubricating oil while being used within the engine and consists of a valve body placed within a pressurized oil conduit. The body includes an orifice having a valve element movable between open and closed positions by a sample collecting receptacle wherein one hand operation is readily achieved. The valve element includes a proboscis suitable for piercing the sample receptacle diaphragm, and a spring produces a positive biasing force on the valve element toward the closed position. A removable cover protects the valve element and proboscis when not in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the most efficient utilization of the oils used in internalcombustion engines and drive systems, hydrostatic transmissions andpressurized hydraulic circuits, it is known to monitor and analyze thecondition of the oil wherein its' lubricative qualities, acidic content,the presence of foreign matter and colloidal suspensions, moisturecontent, and other characteristics can be determined by analysis, and byclosely monitoring the condition of the oil replacement is made onlywhen necessary, rather than on a duration or engine use basis, as isnormal

It has been found that many oils used in engines and transmissions arechanged at a much greater frequency than is necessary, and in some extraheavy duty applications, oils should be replaced at a more frequentinterval than normal. By the monitoring and analyzing of oils while inuse large oil users, such as the armed forces, truck fleet operators,and automobile fleet operators, can experience substantial savings inboth oil consumption and engine and transmission wear.

In the past, the monitoring and analyzing of engine and transmissionoils has been troublesome due to the lack of a convenient method forobtaining oil samples. By the use of syringes, oil may be removedthrough dipstick tubes, and the like, but special types of syringes arerequired and this apparatus is only usable on internal combustionengines, and may not be readily used with transmissions or otherlubricated components not utilizing dipsticks and the like.

Further, as it is absolutely necessary that oil samples remmoved foranalyzing and monitoring purposes must truly reflect the conditions ofthe oil in use, contamination of the samples during procurement of thesamples must be prevented and prior oil sampling apparatus and systemshave not been consistently successful in assuring sample integrity.

It is an object of the invention to provide an oil sampling valve foruse with internal combustion engines, transmissions, hydraulic circuits,and the like, wherein oil samples may be readily obtained without theuse of special tools, equipment or skills.

Another object of the invention is to provide an oil sampling valve foruse with internal combustion engines and the like wherein one handoperation is achieved as the control of the valve is by means of thesample collecting receptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an oil sampling valvewhich may be readily incorporated into the oil circuits of an internalcombustion engine or the like, and wherein the components thereof may beprotected against damage and contamination when not is use.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an oil samplingvalve for internal combustion engines and the like wherein the valveincludes a proboscis for piercing the sterile membrane of a collectionreceptacle, and wherein one hand operation produces positioning of thesampling receptacle, piercing of the receptacle membrane, and operationof the oil flow valve element.

The oil sampling valve in accord with the invention includes a bodywhich is incorporated into the oil circuit of the engine, transmission,or other system whose oil is to be monitored and analyzed. The valveincludes a body having a passage defined therein wherein the passageforms a part of the oil circuit.

An orifice defined in the body communicates with the body passage and amovable valve element controls oil flow through the orifice. The valveelement is movable between open and closed conditions, and the valve isactuated by a disk which is selectively engaged by the opening of thesampling container or receptacle. By placing the receptacle against thevalve element operator and displacing the valve element by overcoming aspring biasing the valve element toward the closed position the valve isopened permitting oil flow through the orifice into the receptacle.

The oil collection receptacle often includes a membrane closing thereceptacle opening, and the valve element includes a sharpened probosciswhich readily penetrates the membrane as the receptacle is moved towardengagement with the valve element actuator. Thus, merely by holding thecollecting receptacle, the operator in the act of positioning thereceptacle causes the proboscis to pierce the receptacle membrane andthe receptacle controls the flow of the oil sample thereinto.

Removal of the sampling receptacle from the valve element actuatorpermits the valve element to be shifted to the closed position by itsspring, and the proboscis and valve element are protected againstcontamination when not in use by means of a removable cover threaded tothe valve body.

The sampling valve constructed in accord with the invention is of arelatively simple configuration and form, readily manufacturable, andthe construction is such as to be relatively trouble free in operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The aforementioned objects and advantages of the invention will beappreciated from the following description and accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a typical installation of sampling valvein accord with the invention as used with an internal combustion engine,the engine being shown in dotted lines,

FIG. 2 is an elevational, sectional, detail view of a sampling valve inaccord with the invention,

FIG. 3 is an elevational, sectional view of the apparatus as taken alongSection III--III of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an elevational, sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustratingthe sampling receptacle in position and the valve element in the opencondition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, an internal combustion engine is schematicallyrepresented in dotted lines at 10. The engine oil filter is shown at 12,and the oil filter includes a pressurized conduit 14 associatedtherewith. The conduit 14 is connected to the engine fitting 16communicating with the internal engine components wherein all of theengine lubricating oil passes through the conduit 14 during engineoperation. The oil sampling valve 18 is mounted within the conduit 14 bya pair of fittings 20 and 22, wherein the engine lubricating oil iscirculated through the valve 18.

Of course, it is to be appreciated that the oil sampling valve 18 may belocated within any pressurized fluid circuit for the purpose of readilyobtaining a sample of the circuit oil, and the sampling valve of theinvention may be readily employed with transmissions, hydrauliccircuits, or the like.

The sampling valve 18 includes a body 24 having a passage 26 definedtherethrough. The passage includes a threaded inlet port 28, and athreaded outlet port 30, the conduit fitting 20 being threaded into port28, while the conduit fitting 22 mates with the threads of port 30.

The body 24 includes a threaded circular opening 32 which receives thethreaded central hub 34 of the skirt 36. The skirt is sealed to the bodyby O-ring 38 and is externally threaded at 40.

The skirt hub 34 is provided with a coaxial orifice 42 whichcommunicates with the passage 26, and the orifice receives the valveelement 44 therein. The valve 44 includes shouldered portions forreceiving O-ring 46 therebetween, and the ring 46 seals the valveelement with respect to the orifice when the valve is in the closedcondition shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The valve element 44 includes a downwardly extending circular proboscis48 which terminates at its lower end in the oblique surface 50 defininga sharp tip 52. Internally, the proboscis 48 includes a passage 54intersecting surface 50, and a radial passage 56 defined in the valveintersects the passage 54 and the exterior of the valve element, asreadily appreciated in FIG. 3. The passage 56 is located "below" theO-ring 46, and will be sealed with respect to the passage 26 when thevalve element is in the closed position.

A valve actuator disk 58 surrounds the proboscis 48 and is attachedthereto and axially affixed thereon by means of the proboscis shoulder60, and a snap ring 62 received within a groove defined on theproboscis. A spring steel wave washer 64 is interposed between theactuator disk 58 and the skirt radial portion imposing a downwardbiasing force on the disk which tends to translate the valve element 44to the closed condition of FIGS. 2 and 3.

The skirt 36 defines a chamber 66 in which the actuator disk 58,proboscis 48, and spring washer 64 are located, and this chamber isenclosed when the sampling valve is not in use, by means of a cover orcap 68 attached to the body 24 by the chain lanyard 70. The cover 68 isinternally threaded at 72 for threaded engagement with the skirt threads40 and as noted in FIGS. 1-3, the cap or cover 68 when attached to theskirt threads encloses the valve proboscis and protects the chamber 66,and associated components, against contamination.

Installation of the sampling valve 18 within an oil conduit 14 isreadily achieved by a mechanic of normal skills in that the conduit issevered, flanged and conventional fittings 20 and 22 placed thereon.Upon the fittings being threaded into the body ports the integrity ofthe oil circuit is retained, and oil flow through the conduit 14 andsampling valve 18 is unrestricted. Under normal conditions the samplingvalve components will be as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spring wavewasher 64 maintaining the valve element 44 in the closed condition, andthe cover 68 is fully threaded upon the skirt threads 40 to enclose thechamber 66.

When it is desired to collect an oil sample, the engine will normally berunning wherein a pressure is maintained within the conduit 14, and thecover 68 is removed by unthreading from the skirt 36. The collectionreceptacle 74, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, may merely consist of abottle or similar container having an upper opening defined by edge 76.Usually, the sampling container will have been thoroughly cleaned, orsterilized, and the state of cleanliness maintained by sealing amembrane 78 across the receptacle opening upon the edge 76.

After the cover 68 has been removed, the operator merely holds thereceptacle in one hand, moves the receptacle 74 upwardly toward thevalve element actuating disk 58, and as the receptacle approaches thedisk the proboscis 48 will engage and penetrate the membrane. Furthermovement of the receptacle toward the valve body causes the receptacleedge to engage the valve element actuator disk 58, and further pressureexerted upon the disk by the receptacle displaces the valve element 44upwardly toward passage 26 to the open condition as shown in FIG. 4. Theupward displacement of the valve element places the passage incommunication with the passage 54 permitting oil within the passage 26to flow through the lower end of the proboscis into the receptacle 74.

The receptacle is maintained against the disk 58, compressing the springwasher 64, to hold the valve 44 open until the desired amount of oil isaccumulated within the receptacle. Thereupon, the operator merely lowersthe receptacle away from the disk 58, and the positive force exerted bythe spring washer, and the pressure within passage 26, returns the valveelement 44 to its closed condition without spillage. The cover 68 isthen screwed upon threads 40, and a cap, not shown, is placed upon thereceptacle and the receptacle may be taken to the laboratory foranalysis.

From the above, it will be appreciated that the oil sampling valve ofthe invention requires no tools during operation. The entire samplecollecting procedure can be accomplished by the use of only one hand,and the valve element automatically closes when the receptacle isremoved. The use of the proboscis eliminates the need for a membranepiercing tool which might contaminate the fluid, and the proboscisdirects the fluid to the bottom of the sampling container reducing thelikelihood of spillage or injury to the operator from contact with hotoil.

The protective cap or cover 68 serves as a secondary seal in the eventthe valve element 44 should leak or fail, and the use of the coverprevents the chamber 66 from being contaminated with the dust and dirtusually surrounding internal combustion engines.

It will be appreciated that the aforedescribed oil sampling valvestructure meets the objects and advantages sought, and it is appreciatedthat various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent tothose skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

We claim:
 1. A fluid sampling valve for internal combustion engines andthe like, comprising, in combination, a body, a passage defined in saidbody having an inlet and an outlet, a valve element receiving orificedefined in said body intersecting said passage, a valve element withinsaid orifice movable between open and closed positions wherein fluidwithin said passage flows through said orifice when said valve elementis in said open position, sealing means defined adjacent said orifice,said valve element engaging said sealing means at said closed position,said valve element including a proboscis having a free end, a flowpassage defined within said valve element and proboscis having an inletadjacent said sealing means and an outlet intersecting said free end,fluid flowing through said orifice flowing through said flow passage,and sample collecting container engaging means defined upon saidproboscis and radially extending therefrom for actuation of said valveelement between said open and closed positions by engagement with anannular open end of a sample collecting container.
 2. In a fluidsampling valve as in claim 1, a membrane piercing surface defined uponsaid proboscis free end.
 3. In a fluid sampling valve as in claim 1,said container engaging means comprising a disk mounted upon saidproboscis.